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The William and Mary men’s cross country and track and field programs grew significantly stronger today with the addition of 15 new athletes. Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Stephen Walsh and his staff put together a stellar recruiting class once again this year, a group that includes 14 freshmen and one graduate student transfer from Villanova. Nine of the 15 newcomers will also be listed on the cross country roster as well as the track and field team.
“I am extremely excited with the addition of so many great athletes to our program,” said Walsh. “Our goal is to create a cohesive, well-rounded team that can challenge for conference titles in both track and cross country, and we feel that these recruits represent an enormous step in that direction. We are excited to have everyone reporting to campus this week, and are looking forward to working with them over the next four years.”
Following is a brief look at each member of the incoming class:
David Barney – Distance
Lynchburg, Va./EC Glass
Best Marks – 1:57.42 (800m), 4:23.89 (1600m), 9:46.26 (3200m)
Prep: Helped EC Glass claim Virginia AA state championships both indoors and outdoors as a senior ... Took second in the 1000m run indoors to earn all-state honors ... All-state outdoors with an eighth-place showing in the 800m ... Also named all-state both indoors and outdoors in the 4x800m relay ... Totaled six region titles in his career ... Three came indoors in 2012, when he won the 1000m, 1600m, and the 4x800m relay ... Seminole District champion in cross country, and was also named District Runner of the Year ... Named to the district all-academic team all four years of high school ... Ranked among the top-20% of students in the nation on the National French Exam ... Vice President of the National Honor Society chapter ... Appeared in five performances of the EC Glass Theatre ... Selected to the Virginia Boys State.
Personal: Son of David (Sr.) and Susan Barney ... Father ran cross country and track at Virginia ... Enjoys coin collecting, paintball, and video games ... Plans to major in kinesiology.
Ricky Cappetta – Middle Distance
Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge
Best Marks – 50.3 (400m), 1:55.26 (800m), 41.38 (300m Hurdles)
Prep: Prep All-American after leading Colonial Forge to a fifth-place finish in the 4x800m relay at the 2011 New Balance Indoor Nationals ... Named all-state at each of the past four Virginia AAA track and field championships ... All-district and all-region all four years of high school ... Member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: Son of Gregory and Rebecca Cappetta ... Enjoys running, reading, and cooking ... Plans to pursue a pre-med course of study.
Taylor Frenia – Throws
Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville
Best Marks – 61-3. 5 (12-lbs Shot Put), 177-8 (1.6k Discus)
Prep: Prep All-American in the shot put, taking third at the 2011 New Balance Indoor Nationals ... Won three Virginia AAA state titles in his career ... Won the shot put indoors in 2011 ... Claimed both the shot put and the discus outdoors as a senior in 2012 ... Participated in the AAU Junior Olympics in the summer of 2011, finishing fifth in the discus and sixth in the shot put ... Honor roll student every semester of high school ... Graduated in the top 10% of his class at Kempsville.
Personal: Son of Martie and Debra Frenia ... Grandfather, Donald Frenia, played baseball in college and professionally ... Enjoys playing his guitar ... Plans to major in physics.
Greg Gallagher – Pole Vault
Elmsford, N.Y./Iona Prep
Best Marks – 16-0 (Pole Vault)
Prep: Won the Emerging Elite vault at the 2011 New Balance Indoor Nationals ... Won both New York State titles in the pole vault as a senior (indoors and outdoors) ... Four-time county champion ... Holds the Westchester County record after he topped 16 feet to win the state title outdoors ... Member of the National Honor Society ... Honor roll all four years of high school.
Personal: Son of Stephen Gallagher and Tara Boyan ... Enjoys playing basketball and table tennis ... Plans to major in finance.
Paul Gates – Distance
Fairfax, Va./Woodson
Best Marks – 4:15.03 (1600m), 9:10.97 (3200m)
Prep: Won the 3200m regional title indoors each of the past two years ... Victories came en route to a third-place finish at the Virginia AAA state outdoor championships ... Also finished third at 3200m indoors in 2011 ... Won four district titles in his career ... Named second-team All-Met indoor by the Washington Post in 2011 ... Honor roll every year of high school ... Member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society.
Personal: Son of Paul and Joanne Gates ... Enjoys reading, swimming, and biking ... Plans to major in international relations.
Ryan Gousse – Distance
Apopka, Fla./Trinity Prep
Best Marks – 1:57.71 (800m), 4:16.41 (1600m), 9:19.32 (3200m)
Prep: Won the Florida 1A state cross country title as a senior ... Helped Trinity Prep to finish first or second all four years ... Also earned all-state cross country honors as a sophomore and a junior ... Won three state titles in the 4x800m relay ... Added the individual state championship at 1600m and a third-place finish in the 3200m in 2012 ... Honor roll student.
Personal: Son of Ralph and Ninotte Gousse ... Brother, Ranley, ran cross country at Elon ... Enjoys camping, sailing, and fishing ... Undecided as to his collegiate major.
Joe LoRusso – Distance
Oak Hill, Va./Oakton (Villanova)
Best Marks – 2:28.34 (1000m), 4:06.50 (Mile), 3:49.95 (1500m), 8:23.8 (3000m)
2008-12 (at Villanova): Graduated in 2012 with a degree in Humanities ... Competed three seasons in all three sports (cross, indoor, and outdoor) for the Wildcats ... Ran on the varsity seven in cross country at multiple meets, including the 2010 Big East Championships ... Top finish in track was seventh in the mile at the 2012 Big East Indoor Championships ... Earned multiple qualifications to the Big East and IC4A Championships both indoors and outdoors ... Deans List student, and earned multiple spots on the Big East Academic All-Star team as well.
Prep: Two-time state champion at Oakton HS ... Won both Virginia AAA 1600m state titles (indoor and outdoor) as a senior in 2008 ... Named Oakton’s Male Athlete of the Year as a senior ... Also earned six more all-state honors in his career ... Named by the Washington Post to the All-Met team five times, including three first-team nods as a senior ... Selected as the All-Area Runner of the Year for both indoor and outdoor track in 2008.
Personal: Son of Thomas and Sharon LoRusso ... Enrolled in W&M’s two-year Master of Public Policy program.
Derek O'Connell – Pole Vault
Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes
Best Marks – 15-6 (Pole Vault)
Prep: Won the Virginia AAA pole vault state title outdoors as a senior ... Also earned all-state honors as a junior, placing second indoors ... President of the National Honor Society chapter at Ocean Lakes.
Personal: Son of Ralph and Susan O’Connell ... Enjoys skateboarding, surfing, and playing disc golf ... Plans to major in computer science.
David Pennesi – Distance
Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge
Best Marks – 1:55.34 (800m), 4:15.06 (1600m), 9:12.49 (3200m)
Prep: Earned five all-state honors in Virginia’s highest classification at 1600m ... Also had a pair of all-state performances in the 3200m ... Won five region titles, all at 1600m ... Six-time district champ ... Selected to the Free-Lance Star all-area team seven times ... Graduated with honors.
Personal: Son of Joseph and Dorothy Pennesi ... Enjoys reading and playing video games ... Plans to major in biology.
Jacob Sears – Distance
Cary, N.C./Panther Creek
Best Marks – 1:57.80 (800m), 4:16.3 (1600m), 9:11.51 (3200m)
Prep: Runner-up at the North Carolina state cross country championships as a senior ... Went on that fall to take 18th at the Foot Locker South Championships ... Earned a pair of all-state honors on the track ... Third in the state at 3200m as a senior, improving on his fourth-place showing in the same event the year before ... Won two conference titles at 3200m and another at 1600m ... Played both the trumpet and the tuba in both the Marching and Symphonic Bands ... AP Scholar with Honors ... Earned all-academic honors in both cross country and track every year of high school.
Personal: Son of Brian and Penny Sears ... Enjoys camping, fishing, and writing ... Undecided as to his collegiate major.
Bob Smutsky – Throws
Dillsburg, Pa./Northern
Best Marks – 10.99 (100m), 21.69 (200m), 192-11 (Javelin)
Prep: All-state in both the 200m and the javelin as a senior in Pennsylvania ... Took third in the 200m ... Placed fifth in the javelin each of the last two years ... Won the MidPenn conference javelin title as a junior ... Won the 200m in 2012, and was second in the javelin and fourth at 400m as well ... Scholar-Athlete award winner in 2012 ... Member of the Key Club.
Personal: Son of Robert Smutsky and Amy Trimmer ... Enjoys lifting weights, hanging out with friends, and working on cars with his grandfather ... Plans to major in finance.
Nathan Thomas – Distance
Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood
Best Marks – 1:59 (800m), 4:19.41 (1600m), 9:22.70 (3200m)
Prep: Finished 12th at the Tennessee AAA state championships in cross country ... Earned all-state honors with the performance and helped lead Brentwood to the team title ... Earned second-team All-Southeast honors at the Nike Southeast Regional ... Runner-up at the state championships at 3200m as a senior ... Also named all-state as a junior, placing fifth at 3200m ... Helped Brentwood to the state track title each of the past three years ... Honor Roll every year of high school ... AP Scholar with Honors ... Graduated in the top 10% of his class ... Member of the Model UN and History Bowl.
Personal: Son of Frank Thomas and Patricia Belin ... Mother swam at Purdue ... Enjoys camping, swimming, and listening to music ... Plans to double-major in environmental science and government.
Austin Vegas – Pole Vault
Kernersville, N.C./East Forsyth
Best Marks – 15-7 (Pole Vault)
Prep: Won each of the last two North Carolina 4A indoor state titles in the pole vault ... Won the boys pole vault at the 2012 Colonial Relays with the second-best height ever (15-6) ... Only 2000 Olympic silver-medalist Larry Johnson has ever jumped higher (15-8 in 1992) ... Three-time champion in both the regional and conference meets ... Named a prep All-American by the AAU in 2011 ... Member of the 2010 USAT&F National Elite Youth All-America team ... Named the Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year by Greensboro News & Record in 2011 ... Member of the National Honor Society and the National Math Honor Society ... Played the first-chair bassoon on the all-county and all-district band.
Personal: Son of P. Hunter and Carolyn Vegas ... Grandfather, Paul Vegas, played football at Tulane ... Enjoys playing disc golf, beach volleyball, and bad golf ... Plans to major in kinesiology.
Paul Wahlman – Sprints
New Hope, Pa./Council Rock North
Best Marks – 49.24 (400m), 37.43 (300m Hurdles), 57.06 (400m Hurdles)
Prep: Earned all-state honors outdoors in both hurdle events as a senior ... Took third in the 300m hurdles and seventh in the 110m hurdles ... Also a two-time all-state honoree indoors ... Ran the 400m leg on Council Rock’s fourth-place DMR in 2011 and again on the fifth-place team in 2012 ... Named team MVP during both seasons as a senior ... Raised puppies for The Seeing Eye, the world’s oldest guide-dog school and adoption program.
Personal: Son of Robert and Patricia Wahlman ... Brother, Philip, ran track and cross country at Mary Washington ... Enjoys surfing, playing guitar, and swimming ... Plans to major in English.
Dmitri Zuccarello – Distance
Brooklyn, N.Y./Xavier
Best Marks – 1:59.90 (800m), 4:21.27 (1600m), 9:26.09 (3200m)
Prep: Won the 1600m and 3200m at the outdoor sectional championships as a senior ... Feat earned him Performer of the Meet honors ... Also won the 1000m sectional title indoors in 2012 ... Won the sectional 3200m as a junior.
Personal: Son of Carlo Zuccarello and Amy Silverman ... Enjoys playing soccer, traveling, and reading ... Undecided as to his collegiate major.
“I am extremely excited with the addition of so many great athletes to our program,” said Walsh. “Our goal is to create a cohesive, well-rounded team that can challenge for conference titles in both track and cross country, and we feel that these recruits represent an enormous step in that direction. We are excited to have everyone reporting to campus this week, and are looking forward to working with them over the next four years.”
Following is a brief look at each member of the incoming class:
David Barney – Distance
Lynchburg, Va./EC Glass
Best Marks – 1:57.42 (800m), 4:23.89 (1600m), 9:46.26 (3200m)
Prep: Helped EC Glass claim Virginia AA state championships both indoors and outdoors as a senior ... Took second in the 1000m run indoors to earn all-state honors ... All-state outdoors with an eighth-place showing in the 800m ... Also named all-state both indoors and outdoors in the 4x800m relay ... Totaled six region titles in his career ... Three came indoors in 2012, when he won the 1000m, 1600m, and the 4x800m relay ... Seminole District champion in cross country, and was also named District Runner of the Year ... Named to the district all-academic team all four years of high school ... Ranked among the top-20% of students in the nation on the National French Exam ... Vice President of the National Honor Society chapter ... Appeared in five performances of the EC Glass Theatre ... Selected to the Virginia Boys State.
Personal: Son of David (Sr.) and Susan Barney ... Father ran cross country and track at Virginia ... Enjoys coin collecting, paintball, and video games ... Plans to major in kinesiology.
Ricky Cappetta – Middle Distance
Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge
Best Marks – 50.3 (400m), 1:55.26 (800m), 41.38 (300m Hurdles)
Prep: Prep All-American after leading Colonial Forge to a fifth-place finish in the 4x800m relay at the 2011 New Balance Indoor Nationals ... Named all-state at each of the past four Virginia AAA track and field championships ... All-district and all-region all four years of high school ... Member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: Son of Gregory and Rebecca Cappetta ... Enjoys running, reading, and cooking ... Plans to pursue a pre-med course of study.
Taylor Frenia – Throws
Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville
Best Marks – 61-3. 5 (12-lbs Shot Put), 177-8 (1.6k Discus)
Prep: Prep All-American in the shot put, taking third at the 2011 New Balance Indoor Nationals ... Won three Virginia AAA state titles in his career ... Won the shot put indoors in 2011 ... Claimed both the shot put and the discus outdoors as a senior in 2012 ... Participated in the AAU Junior Olympics in the summer of 2011, finishing fifth in the discus and sixth in the shot put ... Honor roll student every semester of high school ... Graduated in the top 10% of his class at Kempsville.
Personal: Son of Martie and Debra Frenia ... Grandfather, Donald Frenia, played baseball in college and professionally ... Enjoys playing his guitar ... Plans to major in physics.
Greg Gallagher – Pole Vault
Elmsford, N.Y./Iona Prep
Best Marks – 16-0 (Pole Vault)
Prep: Won the Emerging Elite vault at the 2011 New Balance Indoor Nationals ... Won both New York State titles in the pole vault as a senior (indoors and outdoors) ... Four-time county champion ... Holds the Westchester County record after he topped 16 feet to win the state title outdoors ... Member of the National Honor Society ... Honor roll all four years of high school.
Personal: Son of Stephen Gallagher and Tara Boyan ... Enjoys playing basketball and table tennis ... Plans to major in finance.
Paul Gates – Distance
Fairfax, Va./Woodson
Best Marks – 4:15.03 (1600m), 9:10.97 (3200m)
Prep: Won the 3200m regional title indoors each of the past two years ... Victories came en route to a third-place finish at the Virginia AAA state outdoor championships ... Also finished third at 3200m indoors in 2011 ... Won four district titles in his career ... Named second-team All-Met indoor by the Washington Post in 2011 ... Honor roll every year of high school ... Member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society.
Personal: Son of Paul and Joanne Gates ... Enjoys reading, swimming, and biking ... Plans to major in international relations.
Ryan Gousse – Distance
Apopka, Fla./Trinity Prep
Best Marks – 1:57.71 (800m), 4:16.41 (1600m), 9:19.32 (3200m)
Prep: Won the Florida 1A state cross country title as a senior ... Helped Trinity Prep to finish first or second all four years ... Also earned all-state cross country honors as a sophomore and a junior ... Won three state titles in the 4x800m relay ... Added the individual state championship at 1600m and a third-place finish in the 3200m in 2012 ... Honor roll student.
Personal: Son of Ralph and Ninotte Gousse ... Brother, Ranley, ran cross country at Elon ... Enjoys camping, sailing, and fishing ... Undecided as to his collegiate major.
Joe LoRusso – Distance
Oak Hill, Va./Oakton (Villanova)
Best Marks – 2:28.34 (1000m), 4:06.50 (Mile), 3:49.95 (1500m), 8:23.8 (3000m)
2008-12 (at Villanova): Graduated in 2012 with a degree in Humanities ... Competed three seasons in all three sports (cross, indoor, and outdoor) for the Wildcats ... Ran on the varsity seven in cross country at multiple meets, including the 2010 Big East Championships ... Top finish in track was seventh in the mile at the 2012 Big East Indoor Championships ... Earned multiple qualifications to the Big East and IC4A Championships both indoors and outdoors ... Deans List student, and earned multiple spots on the Big East Academic All-Star team as well.
Prep: Two-time state champion at Oakton HS ... Won both Virginia AAA 1600m state titles (indoor and outdoor) as a senior in 2008 ... Named Oakton’s Male Athlete of the Year as a senior ... Also earned six more all-state honors in his career ... Named by the Washington Post to the All-Met team five times, including three first-team nods as a senior ... Selected as the All-Area Runner of the Year for both indoor and outdoor track in 2008.
Personal: Son of Thomas and Sharon LoRusso ... Enrolled in W&M’s two-year Master of Public Policy program.
Derek O'Connell – Pole Vault
Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes
Best Marks – 15-6 (Pole Vault)
Prep: Won the Virginia AAA pole vault state title outdoors as a senior ... Also earned all-state honors as a junior, placing second indoors ... President of the National Honor Society chapter at Ocean Lakes.
Personal: Son of Ralph and Susan O’Connell ... Enjoys skateboarding, surfing, and playing disc golf ... Plans to major in computer science.
David Pennesi – Distance
Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge
Best Marks – 1:55.34 (800m), 4:15.06 (1600m), 9:12.49 (3200m)
Prep: Earned five all-state honors in Virginia’s highest classification at 1600m ... Also had a pair of all-state performances in the 3200m ... Won five region titles, all at 1600m ... Six-time district champ ... Selected to the Free-Lance Star all-area team seven times ... Graduated with honors.
Personal: Son of Joseph and Dorothy Pennesi ... Enjoys reading and playing video games ... Plans to major in biology.
Jacob Sears – Distance
Cary, N.C./Panther Creek
Best Marks – 1:57.80 (800m), 4:16.3 (1600m), 9:11.51 (3200m)
Prep: Runner-up at the North Carolina state cross country championships as a senior ... Went on that fall to take 18th at the Foot Locker South Championships ... Earned a pair of all-state honors on the track ... Third in the state at 3200m as a senior, improving on his fourth-place showing in the same event the year before ... Won two conference titles at 3200m and another at 1600m ... Played both the trumpet and the tuba in both the Marching and Symphonic Bands ... AP Scholar with Honors ... Earned all-academic honors in both cross country and track every year of high school.
Personal: Son of Brian and Penny Sears ... Enjoys camping, fishing, and writing ... Undecided as to his collegiate major.
Bob Smutsky – Throws
Dillsburg, Pa./Northern
Best Marks – 10.99 (100m), 21.69 (200m), 192-11 (Javelin)
Prep: All-state in both the 200m and the javelin as a senior in Pennsylvania ... Took third in the 200m ... Placed fifth in the javelin each of the last two years ... Won the MidPenn conference javelin title as a junior ... Won the 200m in 2012, and was second in the javelin and fourth at 400m as well ... Scholar-Athlete award winner in 2012 ... Member of the Key Club.
Personal: Son of Robert Smutsky and Amy Trimmer ... Enjoys lifting weights, hanging out with friends, and working on cars with his grandfather ... Plans to major in finance.
Nathan Thomas – Distance
Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood
Best Marks – 1:59 (800m), 4:19.41 (1600m), 9:22.70 (3200m)
Prep: Finished 12th at the Tennessee AAA state championships in cross country ... Earned all-state honors with the performance and helped lead Brentwood to the team title ... Earned second-team All-Southeast honors at the Nike Southeast Regional ... Runner-up at the state championships at 3200m as a senior ... Also named all-state as a junior, placing fifth at 3200m ... Helped Brentwood to the state track title each of the past three years ... Honor Roll every year of high school ... AP Scholar with Honors ... Graduated in the top 10% of his class ... Member of the Model UN and History Bowl.
Personal: Son of Frank Thomas and Patricia Belin ... Mother swam at Purdue ... Enjoys camping, swimming, and listening to music ... Plans to double-major in environmental science and government.
Austin Vegas – Pole Vault
Kernersville, N.C./East Forsyth
Best Marks – 15-7 (Pole Vault)
Prep: Won each of the last two North Carolina 4A indoor state titles in the pole vault ... Won the boys pole vault at the 2012 Colonial Relays with the second-best height ever (15-6) ... Only 2000 Olympic silver-medalist Larry Johnson has ever jumped higher (15-8 in 1992) ... Three-time champion in both the regional and conference meets ... Named a prep All-American by the AAU in 2011 ... Member of the 2010 USAT&F National Elite Youth All-America team ... Named the Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year by Greensboro News & Record in 2011 ... Member of the National Honor Society and the National Math Honor Society ... Played the first-chair bassoon on the all-county and all-district band.
Personal: Son of P. Hunter and Carolyn Vegas ... Grandfather, Paul Vegas, played football at Tulane ... Enjoys playing disc golf, beach volleyball, and bad golf ... Plans to major in kinesiology.
Paul Wahlman – Sprints
New Hope, Pa./Council Rock North
Best Marks – 49.24 (400m), 37.43 (300m Hurdles), 57.06 (400m Hurdles)
Prep: Earned all-state honors outdoors in both hurdle events as a senior ... Took third in the 300m hurdles and seventh in the 110m hurdles ... Also a two-time all-state honoree indoors ... Ran the 400m leg on Council Rock’s fourth-place DMR in 2011 and again on the fifth-place team in 2012 ... Named team MVP during both seasons as a senior ... Raised puppies for The Seeing Eye, the world’s oldest guide-dog school and adoption program.
Personal: Son of Robert and Patricia Wahlman ... Brother, Philip, ran track and cross country at Mary Washington ... Enjoys surfing, playing guitar, and swimming ... Plans to major in English.
Dmitri Zuccarello – Distance
Brooklyn, N.Y./Xavier
Best Marks – 1:59.90 (800m), 4:21.27 (1600m), 9:26.09 (3200m)
Prep: Won the 1600m and 3200m at the outdoor sectional championships as a senior ... Feat earned him Performer of the Meet honors ... Also won the 1000m sectional title indoors in 2012 ... Won the sectional 3200m as a junior.
Personal: Son of Carlo Zuccarello and Amy Silverman ... Enjoys playing soccer, traveling, and reading ... Undecided as to his collegiate major.
